Week 2 "Expert Picks" Houston at Cincinnati

Houston at Cincinnati

The quarterback is up in the air for the Texans, but the offensive line is the bigger issue -- no matter who starts. The Bengals have the same problem, and Andy Dalton is coming off a bad game. Can either of these teams get the offenses going? I think the Bengals will to some extent, but it won't be easy.

Texans at Bengals
MDS’s take: This could be another ugly Thursday night game, given the way these two defenses played in Week One. Although Andy Dalton was terrible on Sunday, I think he’ll be better on Thursday — and the Texans’ quarterback situation will be as bad as ever.

MDS’s pick: Bengals 13, Texans 7.

Florio’s take: A game between two teams who scored on Sunday a total of seven points between them doesn’t bode well for ratings points. The Texans unexpectedly are reeling, and the Bengals aren’t as bad as Sunday suggested. Unless they are. One of these teams could soon be fitted for a fork.

Enquirer beat writers Paul Dehner Jr. and Jim Owczarski make their Week 2 predictions as the Bengals host the Texans.

Taking a look at the keys for the Bengals in their Thursday Night Football game against the Texans.

The game will air on NFL Network and locally in Cincinnati on Ch. 5.

1. Protect Andy Dalton. Easier said than done for this reformed offensive line that got off to a treacherous start to the season on Sunday, allowing five Baltimore sacks and a strip of the quarterback. Now they face one of the most dynamic pass-rushing groups in the league with J.J. Watt, Whitney Mercilus and Jadeveon Clowney. If they can’t give Dalton time, there will be no shot to sustain drives and convert third downs. The Texans will obviously be looking to exploit matchups against Cedric Ogbuehi, who struggled with Terrell Suggs of Baltimore. They have to minimize the potential impact of those three up front.

2. Get off the field. The Bengals struggled throughout the preseason and in the opener against Baltimore getting off the field on third down and allowing long drives. Often the problem has been in the mirror, as seen in the 18-play Ravens field goal drive in the third quarter that saw three Bengals penalties keep the drive moving. Particularly with a struggling Texans offense and offensive line, the defensive line rotations on third down need to prove effective. That means Carl Lawson, Chris Smith and Jordan Willis must make an impact supplementing Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap.

3. Hit the field goals. It was last year Randy Bullock had the chance to bury his former team and saw a mistimed snap end up sailing his game-winning attempt astray. In a game where points will be at a premium and the Bengals offense still searching for momentum, they must take advantage of every trip into field goal range. Bullock won the job with a stellar preseason and likely field goal or two will go a long way to determining the outcome. Will Bullock hit or in a pressure spot on national television against his former team, will he miss the mark again?

Paul Dehner Jr.'s prediction: Bengals 16, Texans 12

What about the Bengals opener makes me believe Thursday will be any different against a team which made a habit of ruining this team’s night? Well, it was nothing about the Bengals opener but rather the Texans. Not only were the Texans dismantled by the Jacksonville Jaguars and sacked 10 times, but coach Bill O’Brien already flip-flopped on his quarterback decision shipping DeShaun Watson as the starter on a short week. Even more than that, they come in battered from the game on a short week including five players with concussions who won’t play and that includes three tight ends. Has the feel of when Miami came in for the Thursday game last year in shambles and the Bengals made easy work of them. Nothing about this will be easy, but I think the Texans have too steep of a hill to climb in this one.

Jim Owczarski's prediction: Texans 10, Bengals 6

I felt this would be a loss at the start of the year just because of that – a feeling. Houston. Again. Primetime. Again. It just seems like, for whatever reason, no matter who is calling plays for the Bengals, Andy Dalton and A.J. Green can’t get into the end zone against the Texans. Even the best Bengals offense since the late 80’s heyday couldn’t score, back in 2015. On Thursday night. At Paul Brown Stadium. Seeing these two teams in Week 1 didn’t change my mind, either. The Texans, you could argue, had a worse day than the Bengals in their home opener because the guy they picked to start at quarterback all through camp and the preseason was replaced after 13 passes in a blowout loss to Jacksonville, but at least they scored. I see a defensive slugfest here, as both offenses just continue to struggle to move the ball into the end zone. The Bengals defense still has the propensity to give up the one big play per game, and last week it led to a touchdown. I can see this playing out like so many other Texans-Bengals games – physical, low-scoring, and the team from Texas coming out on top.